D. c. reference source



May 8, 1956 F. MEYER 2,745,053

D. C. REFERENCE SOURCE Filed Nov. 12, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet l 5 AMPLIFIER i MWER SUPPLY l I I AM I? I p R 66 PLIF/E AM LIP/E I I FRANKLIN MEYER AGENT May 8, 1956 F. MEYER 2,745,053

D. C. REFERENCE SOURCE Filed Nov. 12, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR F/PA/V (L/N MEYER AGENT D.C. OUTPUT May 8, 1956 F. MEYER 2,745,053

D. c. REFERENCE SOURCE Filed Nov. 12, 1953 3 Sheetwsheet 5 W m "III I23; I32 WW! INVENTOR.

Franklin Meyer AGENT 2,745,053 Patented May 8, 1956 D. C. REFERENCE SOURCE Meyer, Franklin Square, N. Y., assignor to Aviation Engineering Division, Avien-Knickerbocker, Inc., Woodside, N.- Y.

Application November 12, 1953, Serial No. 391,519

15 Claims. (Cl. 323-69) This invention relates to direct current reference voltage sources and more particularly to electronically controlled so'urces utilizing vacuum thermocouples.

Prior direct current reference voltage sources have included chemical cells such as the Standard Cell and electronic devices of the gas tube type. Many disadvantages are inherent in the prior devices. All gas voltage regulator tubes have a definite temperature coefiicient caused by change of gas pressures with ambient temperature. They are also subject to long term drifts of voltage output, and changes in conduction modes with changes in current. ,Finally and most important for very accurate regulation, the gas tubes are not interchangeable. For

instance one tube might regulate at 82 volts, and another at 92 volts.

The Standard Cell accuracy is too limited for certain critical applications and a greater accuracyis desired. Also the cell accuracy is destroyed if current is drawn, therefore, it is only useful for momentary connection to a high impedance circuit as for zero setting a measuring instrument.

Conventional systems using direct (D. C.) voltage amplifiers are unstable and are not suitable for very accurate regulation. The system of the present invention avoids the use of chemical cells, gas tubes and direct (D. C.) voltage amplifiers. It utilizes a pair of opposing thermocouples and means to accurately control their temperature and may be used as an active part of a control system.

An object of the present invention is to provide a circuit-having a novel arrangement of electronic elements whereby a direct (D. C.) voltage is generated whose magnitude remains very constant despite wide variations in the power voltages supplied to said circuit.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a very accurate reference voltage source whose direct (D. C.) voltage output remains constant despite large changes in the ambient temperature.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a source of direct (D. C.) voltage 'whose magnitude remains constant despite rapid changes in the ambient temperature.

An additional object of the present invention is to provid'e an electronic reference voltage source whose output remains constant regardless of transient variations in- I herein in the power supplied to said source.

still further object of the present invention is to provide a reference voltage source having minimum warm-up time. I

A particular object is to provide an improved thermocouple "device. 7 I v A further object of the present invention is to provide an electronic reference voltage source having a low source impedance. j

additional object of the present invention is) to provide .an'electronic direct (D. C.) reference voltage.. source which is simple in design, has no moving parts and which is free from variations in vacuum tube characteristics. I

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as may hereinafter. appear, the invention comprisesv the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter to be described and then sought to be defined in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, which show merely for the purposes of illustrative disclosure, pre-.

ferred embodiments of the invention, it being expressly understood, however, that changes may be made in pr ac-' tice within the scope of the claims without digressingfrom the inventive idea.

In general, the D. C. reference voltage source of this invention consists of a pair of thermocouples,one serving as a hot junction and the other serving as a cold junction compensating unit. Connected in series opposition, the j output of the two thermocouples serves as a D. C. reference source. The accuracy necessary to make it a practical reference source is derived from a novel method of maintaining the temperatures of the respective hot and cold junction thermocouples constant. In brief, the thermocouples are heated by a reistance wire element which forms one leg of a Wheatstone bridge type circuit.

Each thermocouple is maintained at a diflFerent constant temperature by providing two such bridges and having each heater wire maintained at a different constant temperature. The wire is formed of metal having a high temperature coeflicient of resistance. Since the heater wire changes resistance with temperature, there will be one, and only one, temperature and therefore one, and only one, resistance at which each Wheatstone bridge will be in balance. varying the voltage across the bridge which therefore changes the power input through the heater wire until the temperature of the wire is such that its resistance is of the proper value to make the bridge be exactly at balance. This is done automaticallyand continuously with a very fast time response, by. providing an all-electronic closed servoloop as described later in greater detail. The two heater wires being thus maintained at constant temperature result in a constant D. C. output being provided by the thermocouples.

In the drawings in which similar reference characteristics denote corresponding parts:

Figures 1, 2, and 3 are schematic diagrams illustrative of the invention, and

Figures 4 and 5 are schematic diagrams of embodiments of the invention. Y

Figure 6 shows schematically the preferred embodimentpf' this invention.

Figure 7 presents in perspective a couple of this invention.

Refer-ling now to Figure 1, there 'i's shown thermocouple 10 supported in container 11 filled with liquid 12. Thermocouple 14 is supported in container 15 filled with liquid '16. Thermocouple 10 is formed of Chromel lead veloped by the constantan-copper thermocouple at lead 18 will cancel out the constantan-copper thermocouple formed by lead 19. Thus it may be seen that if the galvanometer were connected directly to thermocouple 10, the. junction betweenlead 18 and the galvanometer and the junction between lead 17 and the galvanometer being of dissimilar metals would result in different potentials being generated at each junction. Therefor e, an errorwould result. The connection of an additional This balance can be obtained by preferred merino 3 thermocouple in series opposition provides what is known as iunction" compensation and eliminates error since both terminals 20 are ofthe same material.

If the liquids 12 and 16 are maintained at the same temper attire the'wlt'a e gee "rated by them is will exactly equal the voltage generated by thermocouple- 14: Since-two thermocou les have their similar branches connected, these two voltages will each other,

with'tlie resultant voltage, as measuretl-acrosstermii als 20 by gaivanometer 21;'bei-ii' zero.

IIovveve'r, ifatemperature difieren'ceexists "between:

the-two liquids 1 2 and 1%, the voltages generated by the two "thermocouples will be dilierent, with the electrical resultant appearing between the terminals magnimaeorthe resultahtvol-tagewill; of' 'course, he depeiid entonthe n't'a'gnitudeof' the temperature dilfet'e'hcebo tween the two thermocouples.

The polarity' depends, of course, upon thematerials used in the thennoeouples 'as well as whichof the two thennocouples is'operated at the temperature. For a given-pair of materials the polarity of the-output voltage may be changed by reversing the positions of thet'wo thermocouples.

The volt'a'ge appearin between terminals 220 are deendent-oaths tem erature dilrereuee of the two junctions, as well as thes'pecific temperature of thejunc-tion's since; in' genorah-qthermocouplesdo not exhibit a linear variation in voltage'output'with variation in temperature; It may-he appieciated thatby itiaintaiiiiiigthete'thper aturss ot the two'thermocouples constant, a eottstimrdh rec-t current voltage is created;

in practice, however, it is notpractical to maintain this diiite'ulty a airor vacuum thermocouples is u'tilized in' accordance with the-present invention. A vaeuum thermocouple; shown schematically inF-igure- 2, utilizesa linewire or resistanc element z'swhish is maintained in'su 'e'vacuated "chamber or container 26. A ther'mlr couple 17" i'S ih'tlietm'fll COillilt with theresistance 616+ ing. connected in series therewith to control the currentwhi-ch passes through wire 31.

Vacuum thermocouple 3'0 has its' 'resista'iiee A second vacuum thermocouple 35" has its resistance wire 35 connected to battery 37, variable resistor. ing. connected in. series to control the current which passes through wire 36. Lead '39 conneots -sim'ilar branches of: vacuum-thermocouples. and35. Leads. and 41 connect the remaining. branches oflthe two thermocouples-toterminals 42. v

lnzoperation, variable resistor 33 is adjusted to a predetermined current-to pass through resistance wire. 31; This determines the.. temperature of the: junction :of

vacuum: thermocouple '30.. Inlike manner? .vafiable tesister 38 is. adjusted'to pemtitapredetermined current-to pass througli resistance vv'ire- 36: determines thetemperature of junction of vacuumthermocouple '3'5;

By'adiustinthe two resistors amiss "so that itmetioh temperatures of the two thermocouples are diire'rent, a direct-(D.- C.) voltage will-"appear between thetwoterminals 42; As connected; this voltage "is the differ ence between the voltages enerated or create-cl hy' each of the-twothermoc'ouples af1d'3'5. Thegreate'rthe temperature difierence between the-twores'istanee wires V .4 p or elements 31 and 36, the greater will be the resultant output-voltage.

While the circuit shown in Figure 3 will produce a direct (D. C.) voltage, its stability is limited. Variation in battery potential and temperature changes of the series resistors would cause the current passing through the resistance wire to vary. in turn would create a .variation in the output of each thermocouple.

Figure 4 illustrates schematically how these objections mayv be overcome. A bridge 45 isprovided, hlvis'a;

sistance arms 46; 47 and 48. The aan nfbridk 45 is formed by the resistance wire or or vacuum thermocouple 50. The error voltage, Ve, of the bridge isfed into an amplifier 44' whose output is connected to the' input of the bridge tbfiether with an A. C. signal applied to power input terminals 51. Thus, a regulator system is obtained. Any error voltage resulting from a change in the temperature of resistance element-49 is applied tothe servo amplifier which supplies meteor less power to the heater l9:

in turn, raises or lowers the tem statureoftiie'heater wire to drive the error voltage to null.

It should he noted that the servo amp i eri only a corrective power to thebrid'ge. when the bridge" is oil-balance the output is either in phirseor 180 out or phase with the main su ply voltage: If

it in phase. the power'input to the brid e will beine' creasea whi'l it also out ofphase; the power input-tome htitlge will be decreased.

second thermocouple 6o i's'prdvided asshowii iii Figure 4. Thi's'thernioodupleijs immersed in'a temperature liquid batch '61. Similar leadsot couple 50 and are connectedby lead 62 which lspi'eferable' oftliesam'e'ma'terialt The other leadsiu-e eonnee-tetito output "posts-63am 64:

:By adjusting the bridge" 45' so that the tempo ratine" of 49 is'difle'rent from eratiire "oi! liquid hath -61; a direct '(D; (3;) voltage'wfil' be provided'between terminals 63 and 64. of this voltage'will de end upon theeoiittol of erat'ure of-liquidbat'hfl.

I't'is possible to eompletely eliminate the need-for a liquid bath by "utilizing two se arate bridge'eircuits'to control the temperature of a of couples: sinustrates-sueh acirtiit.

Figure s is a'narrangement or a pair ofthermowaples" 65-and6fieachcennee1edin its own bridge them tocoup' le is' sta hilihedby its hfier' 65' an I? each of the individual 'supplyvoltage lfom voita'gesup lyw as deson' meti in eonnectioa ure 4. The ditre'rehce' voltage 'outpufappears-hem the output terminol's 63' 64.

Figure oshows an arrangement of a unharmecouple sources connected in a as shown in Figure 5, wherein' eacli comprises three thermocouples in series. This embodiment supplies a larger voltage output which theyv he more' easily handled and stabilized. Other equivalent atrangements using more or less than three thermocouples may be used.

Figure 6 generally, compri'ses two circuits as in. Figure Thermocouples 70, 71. and72 ate'in one and'resist'ors 73', 74 and comprise theother arms ofthe' first bridge.

7 The unbalance voltage is: tak'enacrool primary of transformer Isaac amplified'in seversistsgesg 77; '78' and '7? of amplification. The amplified output is taken across transformer and connected to correct the outputofA. C'. voltage source which is fed by means of.

transformer 81 to the grid of amplifier stage fibyuliii'g a. divided'g'i'id'leak resistance 82. This method of in jecting the A. C. power into the system is preferred; i The other bridge circuit comprises thermocouples 70"; 71 and 72 a'ndre'sistors 73', 74' and "15", transformer 76", amplifier stages 77, 78" and 79', and tr asformer 805 statutes. eaa tly. h am man er as previously described. 7

In Figure 7 there is shown a preferred thermocouple element of this invention. A glass envelope 110 is u'sed-fto provide a hermetically sealed vacuum chamber: The envelope'is provided with electrically conductiv'e pi'ns 1.12, 114, 116 and 118 extending from the inside of the envelope to the outside and are sealed into the envelope in such a manner that the hermetic seal is maintained. Tubes 120 and 122 extend through the envelope in the same manner. The metal used for pins 112, 114, 116 and 118 and tubes 120 and 122 should have the same temperature coeflicient of expansion as the glass to insure maintenance of the seal despite temperature variations. Many combinations of glass and metal which may be used to provide such a seal are well known to industry. Between pins 112 and 114 there is secured by welding a tungsten alloy filament wire and similarly another filament is secured between pins 116 and 118. By connecting pins 112 and 114 into the Wheatstone bridge circuit as shown in Figure 6, the filament may be heated. In order to eliminate secondary thermocouple junctions, the thermocouple wire 126 is fed through tube 120; the opening between the thermocouple wire and the tube being sealed by means of solder. Assuming a Chromel-constantan thermocouple, wire 126 may be Chromel, correspondingly Chromel wire 128 is fed through tube 122 and soldered therein. Beads 130, 132, 134, 136, 138 and 140 are supported by filaments 123 and 124 and serve to electrically insulate the thermocouple junctions from the filaments while providing good thermal conductivity between the junctions and the filaments. There is shown joining Chromel wire 126 at insulator bead 130 constantan wire 142. At bead 136 constantan Wire 142 is joined in a thermocouple junction by Chromel wire 144. In turn at bead 132 constantan wire 146 joins Chromel wire 144 and at bead 138 Chromel wire 148 is joined to constantan wire 146. At bead 134 Chromel wire 148 is joined to a constantan wire 150 which in turn is connected at bead 140 to Chromel wire 128. Filament 124 can thus serve as the low temperature thermocouple junction heater and filament 123 may serve as the high temperature thermocouple. This junction heater arrangement is preferred over the use of individual thermocouples as is shown in Figure 6, since all secondary thermocouple junctions are eliminated. It is to be noted that the series thermocouple string alternates a high temperature junction wtih a cold temperature junction.

Having thus described my invention what I desire to claim as new is:

1. A direct voltage source comprising a pair of thermocouples connected in opposing relation in series with a pair of output terminals, means for electrically heating each of said thermocouples to a different temperature, means for automatically maintaining said temperature constant.

2. A reference voltage source comprising a pair of thermocouples connected in opposition in series with a pair of output terminals, a resistance wire having a current passing therethrough, in thermal contact with each of said thermocouples but electrically insulated therefrom, means to maintain constant said current through each of said resistance wires.

3. A reference voltage source comprising a pair of thermocouples connected in opposition in series with a pair of output terminals, a resistance wire carrying an electric current, in thermal contact with each of said thermocouples but electrically insulated therefrom, means to maintain constant said current through each of said re sistance wires, each of said resistance wires serving as one arm of a separate Wheatstone bridge and means to maintain said bridge in balanced condition.

4. A reference voltage source comprising a pair of output terminals and a pair of thermocouples of the type heated by a resistance wire, said thermocouples being in opposed relation and in series with said pair of output terminals, a pair of balanced bridge circuits having input ass! atautfisrmina nd; nc u in onetot idtresistance wus apair. 0f; 8 g rsghay nau 1. 9 9 h autbridae utput erminals.

he .Qutputa tisa. amplifi rs; bein onncc edtto bridge input terminals, and n eansforjntroducingan A: Q-r altase in a a d amplifie s ,eaaarati sas. Amheiaa s itionatthe mccouplesare connected in series with each of said thermocouples so as to provide a larger output reference voltage.

6. A reference voltage source having an output insensitive to change in ambient temperature comprising a pair of balanced bridge circuits having a pair of input and a pair of output terminals, a first thermocouple heated by a resistance wire serving as one arm of one of said bridge circuits, a second thermocouple heated to a different temperature by a resistance wire serving as one arm of the second of said bridge circuits, an A. C. energizing source connected to said input terminals of said bridge circuits, a pair of amplifiers each connected across said output terminals of said bridge circuits, across the output terminals of one of said bridge circuits, the outputs of said amplifiers being connected to said input terminals of each of said bridge circuits.

7. A stable voltage source comprising a pair of thermocouple means in opposing relation and an electrically energized heat source arranged to heat each of said thermocouples to a different temperature and separate servo amplifier means connected to regulate each of said heat sources.

8. Apparatus as in claim 7 wherein each of said heat sources is a resistance connected in a balanced bridge circuit and wherein said amplifier means regulate said heat sources by maintaining said bridges in balance.

9. A reference voltage source comprising a pair of thermocouples, a separate resistance heat source for heating each thermocouple to a difierent temperature and means connected to regulate each heat source comprising means to automatically control the current through each of said resistances.

10. A reference voltage source comprising a pair of thermocouples maintained at different temperatures and having bucking output connections, and servo amplifier means connected to maintain said different temperatures.

11. A D. C. reference source comprising, a thermocouple electrically heated to a first temperature by means of a resistance wire, a second thermocouple connected in series opposition to said first thermocouple, said second thermocouple being heated to a second temperature by a second resistance element, output terminals in series with said thermocouples, a first circuit containing said first resistance element comprising a bridge having input and output terminals, an amplifier having at least two stages of amplification having its input terminals connected to said output terminals of said bridge and its output terminals connected to said bridge input terminals, a second circuit containing said second resistance element comprising a bridge having input and output terminals, an amplifier having its input terminals connected to said bridge input terminals, and means to introduce an A. C. signal at the grid of one of said vacuum tubes in each of said amplifiers.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein a plurality of thermocouples in series connection is heated by each of said resistance wires.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein each of said resistance wires energizes a plurality of thermocouples, said thermocouples being connected in series so that a thermocouple heated by said first wire is directly connected to a thermocouple heated by said second wire.

14. A thermocouple device comprising a first and a second filament wire, a plurality of thermocouple junctions in series connection arranged so that alternate junctions of said plurality of junctions are heated by said first wire and the remainder of said plurality of junctions are heated by said second wire, a hermetically sealed envelope enclosing said filament and said junctions, electrically con- References Citedin the file of this patent ductive means for energizing said filaments and leads UNITED STATES PATENTS formed of the said material as said thermocouple, in series connection with said thermocouple junctions and extend- 2443641 ""f'f'" June 1948 g through Said envelope- 5 Hansell June 6, 15. A device of claim 14 wherein said leads are sealed 2577'111 et 1951 into metal tubes which extend through said envelope. 

